losing Childhood
by hippychick1212
Summary: one day hermione goes downstairs and finds crookshanks dead her world comes crashing down around her can ron help her say goodbye to the remnants of her childhood ONESHOT


Disclaimer I don't own harry potter

I saw the stiff ginger body, his bandy legs, his fluffy bottlebrush tail and his small pink nose he was gone. Crookshanks who had been my steadfast friend no matter what I did every problem we had was solved with a plate of tuna and a bowl of milk, if only life were that simple! Picking up the remnants of my fluffiest friend I held him close to my chest and cried, big hot salty tears found tracks down my cheeks the weight of my loss finally hitting me. His mouth fell open when I picked him up and a trickle of blood trailed out whether his own or unknown prey I didn't know. I don't know how long I sat just holding him and letting my emotions over come me. Somewhere in the back of my mind I heard the front door open and Ron's low familiar voice call out for me. Too over come with grief I didn't answer. The sound of his heavy work boots coming across the floor was the only warning I got before he was sitting behind me gathering me up in his arms. Pulling Crookshanks stiff body from my arm he set him on the floor. Holding me close to his chest was the best comfort he could have given me for the best part of an hour we sat on the kitchen floor me crying, sobbing ruining his shirt, him holing me rubbing my back whispering sweet nothings in my ear.

He took my face between his hands and locked his big, beautiful blue eyes on my brown ones he wiped the last tears clinging to my eyelashes away and started to talk.

"Sweetheart I know you don't want to hear this but Crookshanks was old, he's in a better place chasing mice and eating tuna to his heart's content." In my heart and soul I knew he was right...but

"But losing him feels like losing the last of my childhood he was my last reminder that I was once young and innocent that I used to do petty things believe I could do anything I put my mind to, you know?" his eyes looked thoughtful and to be brutally honest it looked like his ext words hurt him more than they hurt me.

"Hermione, I love you but I need to go, I don't know how long I'll be but I will be back. Promise that you understand that what I'm doing is in your best interest. I love you. Trust me." Confusion clouded my mind

"Bu- bu- but where are you going? How long will you be? When will you be home? RON!" his soft pink lips descended upon mine he gave me a soft loving kiss and with one word he was gone. It was hours before the "POP" of his dissapparition had left my ears and even longer before I got off the floor and resigned myself to sitting on the couch in my pyjamas with a cup of tea and Crookshanks wrapped in a blanket at my feet staring at the walls and my poor feline fluffy friend. During one pitiful glance I found myself wishing and hoping in my heart that he passed painlessly into the great beyond that my lovely fat cat was being well looked after, wherever he was.

Gazing into my cold cup of tea I resorted to doing something I hadn't done since visiting my grandmother in Ireland. I prayed.

"Ar n-athar ata ar neamh go naofar d-anim go dacato raicht go neafar do fhail ar an talamh mar a dheantar ar neamh ar aran leitu thabhar duin inniu agus a mhaith thu nar bhiaca mar a bhaith a midicha nar a bheicuina fein ach an lig sa ne dathu ach saoirse na olc amen." As i finished my prayer I hoped someone, maybe my grandmother had heard it, and was looking after Crookshanks.

Many hours, tears and long forgotten prayers later I heard the unmistakeable sound of someone apparating within our wards, which by now were just a precaution.

For the second time that day heard the telltale thud of Ron's boots, I heard him trail into the kitchen calling my name, after seeing my absence a tone of worried laced his tone. Internally laughing I let him flounder but after a minute when I could hear him getting genuinely worried I called out

"Calm down I'm in here" my voice hoarse and croaky from crying and lack of use. A ghost of a smile lit his face for a fraction of a second and then he got slightly serious which was unusual; a change from his normal joking demeanour, which every one claimed balanced me out. Then again I guess the day comes when even the jokiest (is that a word?) of people need to be serious.

"I am so sorry about Crookshanks Mione I wish I could face all this pain for you, he was honestly good he knew from the very start about Scabbers, er Pettigrew whatever the Merlin you want to call the blighter, he caught all the mice around the house and he even frightened off Mrs. Norris, I know you loved him and still have all that love to give so maybe you could give some to this little fellow!"

His last comment confused me but as he said it he reached around the couch and grabbed a cat carrier, what? And pulled out the cutest smallest ginger kitten you could have ever seen. I felt the tears building up in my eyes as my love for Ron doubled in that second.

"I'm sorry I left so fast but the idea hit me and I wanted to try to stop as much of your suffering as I could as fast as I could, I called him Otter after your patronus" mistaking the tears in my eyes he started talking even faster

"but you could change that if you wanted too" to get him to shut up Kissed him but with him on the floor we fell and I knocked my cold cup of tea on top of us soaking the pair of us and the kitten.

"I love him Ron and I love you"

I spent the rest of the night showing Ron my gratitude

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